Tac-meter



June 1, 1965 B. R. STEIB TAG-METER Filed Sept. 27. 1963 INVENTOR.

BEN R. STEIB BYJW a m ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,186,221 TAG-METER Ben R. Steib, 39 Beach Drive, Pewaukee, Wis. Filed Sept. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 312,051 1 Claim. (til. 73-450) My invention relates to an improved tac-meter, and more particularly to a device to register the cohesive qualities of printers ink, or the like.

The prime object of my invention is to provide a device that is electrically actuated to visually record and meter the sticky consistency of a product such as printers ink.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described, that will enable the proper consistency of the ink, or the like to be visually recorded to take care of variations in the cohesive quality of the product being tested.

It is manifest to any one familiar with printers ink and its use, that it becomes imperative that the consistency, or cohesive qualities of the ink be varied, for the various color applications. The device illustrated, described, and claimed herein, is a positive means of visibly recording the consistency and cohesive quality of the product such as printers ink, so it may be varied to fit its specific application. It is simple in construction and easy to manipulate.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic lay-out, showing the component parts constituting my invention, and their relation to one another; and

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the removable weighted drop head, in its relation to the cavity, or recess disposed within the slidable plate acting as a container.

Similar characters of referenceindicate the corresponding parts throughout the several views, and referring now of the cavity 11, assumes the proper temperature, as forv example, printers ink would be tested at 95 F. for proper results.

The plate is shown disposed between vertical supports 12, extending upward from the mounting base, for supporting a horizontal bar 13 acting as a pivot support for a horizontal member 14, which slidably supports a re movable head 15, tapered at its lower end 16, and disposed centrally above the cavity 11 in the slidable plate 10.

The rearward end of the member 14 is pivotally mounted at 17 into a yoke 18 of the core 1% extending upward from a magnetic coil 19 for pivotally raising and lowering the head so that its lower tapered and rounded edge 16 will contact the ink or the like disposed within the cavity or recess 11.

When the head 15 is lifted upward from the ink in the cavity 11 by the core 19a of the magnetic coil 19, contact is broken by the switch 20 on the member 14, which stops the motor shown as 21 from turning the rheostat 22 any further.

The unit is actuated by any source of electric current. In FIG. 1, I show batteries 23, however any type of AC. or D.C. power converters may be used.

There is a meter shown as 24 for visibly indicating, there is a main switch 25, a motor switch 26, a micro switch 2-7 and a condenser 28 all connected in series as shown, the main power supply is shown by the leads 29 and 31b.

In operation, the device functions as follows:

3,186,221 Patented June 1, 1965 The ink is placed into the cavity 11, disposed within the slide 10. This slide is to be pre-heated to any pre-determined temperature. Various types of ink may be applied to the testing device by merely replacing a slide 10 with the ink to be tested.

The head 15, which obviously is weighted, is removable and replaceable on the lever member 14, may be replaced and cleaned every time a diflerent slide is used.

When starting the operation, drop the head 15 onto the ink within the cavity 11. Turn on the power by actuating the switch 25, and turn on the switch 26 so that the motor 21 will be actuated, which will actuate the rheostat 22 due to the driving arrangement shown as 31. The rheostat 22 controls the magnetic coil 19. When the head 15 is raised upward from its contact with the ink in the cavity,

,or recess 11 in the plate 10 by the magnetic coil 19, contact is broken at the switch 20 on the member 14, which stops the motor 21 from turning the rheostat 22 any further.

The meter 24 will indicate the amount of power used to raise the head 15, due to the cohesive consistency of the ink in the cavity 11 in the plate 10. 7

By reversing the motor switch 26, the rheostat 22 will return to its original position, due to the contact of the micro switch 27 with the cam lever shown as 32.

From the above description it will become manifest that the device operates in a positive manner to accomplish the purpose for which it is intended, namely to measure and visibly record the amount of energy required to raise the head 15 from the mass or ink within the cavity 11, to determine its consistency.

In the chosen embodiments of my invention, there are many features not heretofore displayed in the prior art, and although I have specifically shown and described a means of accomplishingthe purpose and function, I am fully cognizant of the fact that many changes in the form, shape, and contour of the component parts constituting the device may be made without effecting their efficiency, and I reserve the rights to make such changes as I may deem convenient without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

A tac-meter to be used for measuring the cohesive qualities of a liquid comprising: means defining a cavity for holding a sample of liquid of a certain unknown cohesive quality, a pivotally mounted horizontal member having a head at one end thereof disposed in said cavity, a magnetic coil having a core slidably mounted therein and connected to said horizontal member to pivotally actuate said member to cause said member to raise said head out of said cavity, a rheostat and power means connected in circuit with said magnetic coil to energize said coil, a motor being connected to said rheostat by gear means to vary the resistance oifered to current by rotating said rheostat, a first switch means mounted on said pivotally mounted horizontal member and being operatively connected to said motor and power means to turn off said motor and power means when said head is raised from the liquid in said cavity for determining accurately the magnitude of electrical power corresponding to the cohesive qualities of the liquid, a meter coupled in circuit with said coil to measure the amount of power flow through said coil, and a second switch means to reverse the direction of said motor and return said rheostat to its original position, whereby after the amount of power required to energize said coil to raise said head from said liquid is indicated on said meter to measure the cohesive qualities of said liquid, said tac-meter can have its rheostat set to its original position.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,521 12/30 Mackin 73-150 X 2,601,782 7/52 Foreman et a1 73--150 5 2,675,222 4/54 Clark 73-141 X 2,775,888 1/57 Pickup 73150 2,801,537 8/57 Kabelitz 7358 2,894,388 7/59 Cook et a1. 73150 X RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiner. 

